Bomb-sniffing dogs clear Niwot High following threats, school likely to reopen Monday 

Boulder County investigators following numerous tips 

Pierrette J. Shields Longmont Times-Call

Posted:
01/11/2013 03:56:49 PM MST

Updated:
01/11/2013 04:00:27 PM MST

Law enforcement on scene at Niwot High School on Thursday, Jan. 10, 2013. (Greg Lindstrom/Times-Call)
(
Greg Lindstrom
)

LONGMONT — Boulder County Sheriff's Office investigators used five bomb-sniffing K-9s late Thursday night and early Friday morning to search Niwot High School for any explosive materials in the wake of one threat to blow up the school on Friday and the discovery of a hit list.

“During the search we didn't uncover anything,” said Cmdr. Rick Brough. St. Vrain Valley School District officials canceled classes at the school Friday because of the bomb threat, which was found scrawled in a bathroom and threatened to “blow on the 11th.”

Thursday a “hit list” of between 20 and 30 people was found.

“When we had a second threat and it was more specific, now with everything that is going on in the nation and the world, you've got to take these things serious. We do,” Brough said.

Brough said investigators are working with the people on the list to see if they have anything in common that may point police to a suspect.

Plenty of tips have been rolling in, as well.

Investigators recommended closing the school on Friday, but Brough said that shouldn't be necessary any longer.

“We're not going to recommend that they keep it closed at this point,” he said. “We're going to have visibility, more officers around just for visibility.”

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Brough said investigators are also working to determine whether the bomb threat and hit list are related or whether they are independent incidents.

School district spokesman John Poynton said the school community has been understanding of the disruption from the threats, but that there is no new information to offer as of Friday afternoon. He said final decisions about opening the building will likely be made and announced over the weekend.

“At this point we intend to reopen the school on Monday,” he said.

Pierrette J. Shields can be reached at 303-684-5273 or pshields@times-call.com.